Prosecutors postpone probe on Parañaque shootout charges

By Sheryll Mundo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA, Philippines - State prosecutors on Wednesday have again reset the preliminary investigation on the charges filed by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) against police officials involved in the Parañaque shoot-out in 2008 which left 16 people dead including civilians.

The CHR, including its lawyers, did not show up at Wednesday’s hearing forcing the panel of prosecutors to re-schedule to November 5 the preliminary investigation on the murder, summary execution and obstruction of justice charges filed against members of the police’s Highway Patrol Group (HPG) and Special Action Force (SAF) involved in the incident.

Lilian de Vera, mother of the 7-year-old killed during the shootout expressed her disappointment with the developments on the cases filed against the police officers.

She said it has been more than a year since the incident but up to now no one has been put behind bars.

"Nakakalungkot nga iyon, parang binalewala iyong investigation ng CHR. Now we are considering that we may go to the Court of Appeals. Nananawagan din po ako na patuloy po sana kami tulungan, pati mga taga-media. It has been more than a year, hanggang ngayon wala pang nakukulong," De Vera said.

De Vera said the cases they filed against the HPG and SAF members were dismissed by Parañaque Regional Trial Court and the motion for reconsideration they filed last Sept 24 was also denied.

She said she was also dismayed that no one from the CHR showed up in Wednesday’s scheduled preliminary investigation.